Praseodymium acetylacetonate

Praseodymium acetylacetonate is a coordination complex with the formula Pr(C3H7O2)3. This purported anhydrous acetylacetonate complex is widely discussed but only the dihydrate Pr(C3H7O2)3(H2O)2 has been characterized by X-ray crystallography.

Upon heating under vacuum, other dihydrated lanthanide trisacetylacetonates convert to oxo-clusters M4O(C5H7O2)10. This result suggests that anhydrous Pr(O2C5H7)3 may not exist.

Instability constants (logYn) are 2.89, 4.17 and 5.29 (corresponding to n=1, 2, 3) have been determined for related materials. It can be prepared by the reaction of trialkoxypraseodymium and acetylacetone. When praseodymium chloride reacts with sodium acetylacetonate or lithium acetylacetonate in the solid phase, praseodymium acetylacetonate can also be obtained, but NaPr(acac)4 or LiPr(acac)4 will also be generated. It can form the green complex Pr(acac)3(phen) with o-phenanthroline.